September 1, 2017
by mintmm
Summary: How could a day that had started out so exciting end so badly? Oneshot, Rose's pov


I dragged my trunk along the Hogwarts Express. Funnily enough, or maybe not, my family had insisted on hugs. Every single Potter and Weasley present had to embrace me. Okay, I guess the humor in that depends on who you are, but I saw at two people on Platform 9 ¾ laughing at me.

And when I finally boarded it, the train was full. Of course, my best friend since we were five was no where to be found. I'd searched most of the train and couldn't find her or my cousin Albus, who'd boarded before the hugs.

So I was almost at the end when I finally saw a compartment that's only occupied by one person. When I saw him I almost decided to just sit in the floor. It was the boy my dad warned me not to get too friendly with. The Malfoy boy.

It might have been to spite my father, or maybe just because I didn't fancy sitting alone in the corridor, but I slid the door open. The boy looked up and I noticed that he was reading _The Quibbler_. He looked like I had just interrupted something important. Maybe I had.

"Is it okay if I sit here?" I asked. He started to shake his head so I added, "Everywhere else is full."

He sighed. "All right, then," he said and then continues reading.

I slid the door shut and sat down across from him. He didn't look up again. I echoed his sigh and pulled one of my books from my trunk. We read in silence.

It was a pretty comfortable silence, with only the turning of pages to break it. We spent nearly thirty minutes minutes that way before he put his magazine down and began to rummage in his trunk. He pulled out a few chocolate frogs.

"You're reading that?" he asked suddenly, pointing to my book, _Hogwarts, a Revised History._ My dad says that some of the new stuff is false. He doesn't believe some of the things it says Harry Potter did."

I frowned. "Like what?" Maybe I could tell him it really did happen.

"The bit about the philosopher's stone. My dad was in the same year as Harry Potter and he doesn't remember anything about a stone." He looked at me stubbornly, smirking.

"Oh, that," I said. "Uncle Harry gave me a first hand account on that one. Actually, the book leaves out some things, like how they found out about the stone in the first place."

"Uncle Harry? You're Harry Potter's niece?" He didn't believe me, I could tell.

I nodded. "Rose Weasley," I said, sticking my hand out.

He shook it. "Scorpius Malfoy. Er... Chocolate frog?" I took one and unwrapped it, eagerly stuffing it in my mouth. "So how did your uncle find out about the stone?"

I told him about Mum, Dad, and Uncle Harry's first year. Scorpius listened avidly. When I finished he seemed to be speechless. He shook his head before finally saying, "Well, what card did you get?"

I looked at it and groaned. "Ron Weasley. I have loads of him."

"So do I," Scorpius said. "It drives my dad crazy. It's not even that he hates your parents anymore. I honestly think that now he's just envious."

I was opening my mouth to reply when the door to the compartment slid open. My cousin Albus was standing there.

"There you are, Rose. Emma and I are in another compartment," he said. "I've been looking for you for ages."

I stood and started to follow him back into the corridor. I stopped in the doorway, turning to look at Scorpius. "You want to come?" I asked.

He shook his head. "I'll be fine alone and your cousin won't want me around, anyway." I frowned, unconvinced. "Really. Besides, I have a cousin here that I might look for."

Albus called for me and I left. "What were you doing with him?" he asked when I caught up. "Uncle Ron told you to stay away from the Malfoy kid." He opened the door to a compartment. Our friend Emma Finnigan was sitting in one of the seats.

"I searched the whole train and couldn't find either of you. There were empty seats with him so I sat," I replied.

Albus scowled and Emma looked confused, but no one brought it up again.

"So what house do we want to be in?" Emma asked.

Albus immediately answered, "Gryffindor." Emma nodded in agreement and they both looked at me.

"Not Gryffindor. I know it's the house Mum and Dad were in, but maybe I don't want to be like them. I'm not all that brave, anyway. Ravenclaw would be okay."

Albus made a face at that. "I guess anywhere would be better than Slytherin."

"Really, Al, I'm sure it's not as bad as James thinks," Emma told him. "Your brother is just trying to scare you."

"I bet it is. Place is full of Death Eaters," he argued.

I shook my head. "Not all Slytherins became Death Eaters."

Albus pointed out that some Slytherins' parents are Death Eaters and Emma shot the argument down. He answered, but I tuned it out; I'd heard the conversation enough in the past weeks.

We discussed other things, like what the classes and professors would be like, and play Wizard's Chess. Albus won against Emma and then I beat him. When we thought we must be getting close to Hogwarts, we changed into our new school robes.

The train stopped and got our first look at Hogsmeade Station. Sort of. It was pretty crowded and the older students were all pushing to the horseless carriages.

Over everything, I heard the voice of Rubeus Hagrid calling, "Firs' year over here!"

Albus and I grinned at each other and pulled Emma over to the large half-giant. "All right, Hagrid?" Al said when we reached him.

"Look at yeh two! Eleven years old and comin' to Hogwarts," he said after answering that he was fine.

I nodded. "So now we get to sail across the lake, right?"

"Yeah. Looks like tha's all o' yeh. Let's go."

Al, Emma, and I ended up in a boat with Scorpius. I greeted him, but my cousin and our friend pretended he wasn't there.

Hogwarts quickly came into view and all four of us were dazzled by, even in the dark. There were no mishaps and we soon reached the other side. Hagrid led all of us into the castle while explaining about everything that had to be rebuilt after the final battle with Voldemort. Of course, I already know all about it from reading _Hogwarts, a Revised History._

We waited in the Entrance Hall for a few minutes before Neville—I mean, Professor Longbottom—came out of the Great Hall. He gave us instructions on what to do when we got inside and then in we went.

The Great Hall was crowded. The four tables are nearly filled and all but one seat at the staff table is occupied.

I stood with Al and Emma while we watched Professor Longbottom walk up to a stool with a dirty old hat on it. As we waited the Sorting Hat opened what appeared to be its mouth and it began to sing.

Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,  
>But don't judge on what you see,<br>I'll eat myself if you can find  
>A smarter hat than me.<br>You can keep your bowlers black,  
>Your top hats sleek and tall,<br>For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat  
>And I can top them all.<br>There's nothing hidden in your head  
>The Sorting Hat can't see,<br>So try me on and I will tell you  
>Where you ought to be.<br>You might belong in Gryffindor,  
>Where dwell the brave at heart,<br>Their daring, nerve and chivalry  
>Set Gryffindors apart;<br>You might belong in Hufflepuff,  
>Where they are just and loyal,<br>Those patient Hufflepuffs are true  
>And unafraid of toil;<br>Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,  
>If you've a steady mind,<br>Where those of wit and learning,  
>Will always find their kind;<br>Or perhaps in Slytherin  
>You'll make your real friends,<br>Those cunning folk use any means  
>To achieve their ends.<br>So put me on! Don't be afraid!  
>And don't get in a flap!<br>You're in safe hands (though I have none)  
>For I'm a Thinking Cap!<p>

At the end of its song song it reverted back to an inanimate hat. Professor Longbottom unrolled a scroll and read from the list, "Ahola, Henri." A boy with dark brown hair and glasses sat on the stool and the hat was lowered onto his head. He was sorted into Hufflepuff.

Five kids later Emma was called. The hat slipped down over her nose. After a rather short amount of time the hat shouted, "Gryffindor!" and I found myself clapping along with everyone else.

At least ten more were sorted before Professor Longbottom said, "Malfoy, Scorpius." The blond boy walked slowly up to the stool. The hat rested on his head for two full minutes before sorting him.

"Slytherin!" Scorpius look extremely relieved as he scurried over to the Slytherin table.

Albus was sorted where he'd hoped to be and all too soon Professor Longbottom said, "Weasley, Rosemary." I felt my face redden, not only because the entire Great Hall was watching me, but also because he'd said my whole first name. Rosemary. Bleh.

The Sorting Hat settled on my head. I could hear it _talking_ to me. "Hmm... _Another _Weasley. You aren't as brave as your parents' Gryffindor is not for you. Hmm... Guess it'll have to be Slytherin!" The last word was shouted for the whole hall to hear.

At first no one made a sound. All of my cousins looked shocked. I must have too. Someone behind me started clapping and it spread across the room as I took a seat across from Scorpius. I didn't say anything.

At last Zabini, Erin took a seat next to me and the feast began. Erin and Scorpius tried to talk to me, but I didn't answer. All I could think about was the Howler I was sure to get in the morning.

I knew then that my seven years at Hogwarts were doomed to be the worst anyone ever had.

**I'm not too fond of the way I ended this, but I started it months ago and I guess I was just ready for it to be over. I procrastinate too much and write little bits at a time. Yes, that is the same song the Sorting Hat sings in Harry's first year. I'm not a song writer.**


End file.
